The theme for this year's Saskatchewan Library Week (October 18-25, 2010) is "Libraries=Possibilities". To help celebrate our favorite week of the year, here is a select list of library-themed romance novels for you to check out:
An Angel for Emily by Jude Deveraux
Summary: When a man announces to librarian Emily Todd that he is her guardian angel and he has been sent to earth to protect her, she assumes the man is crazy. But when she discovers he can read her mind and when a bomb is planted in her car, she begins having second thoughts. On the other hand, are real angels permitted to fall in love with mortals?
Like a Charm by Candace Havens
Summary: With her high-powered job and her five-year plans for the future in ruins, Kira Smythe finds herself back in her hometown of Sweet, Texas, staying with her hippie parents and taking over as librarian for the local library, and a possible romance with the gorgeous new guy in town is threatened by her ability to communicate with the dead and by an unknown enemy who wants her dead.
Good Girls Do by Cathie Linz
Summary: Julia Wright couldn't be more content with her job at the local library, nestled in placid, picturesque Serenity Falls. Until her wacky mother, petty-thief sister, and little niece decide to crash her quiet party of one. And her troubles really stack up when a new guy roars into town on his Harley, shaking up more than just the books on her shelves.
All Jacked Up by Penny McCall
Summary: Since Jack Mitchell barged into her life, librarian Aubrey Sullivan has been abducted at gunpoint, taken on a death-defying car chase, and kissed within an inch of madness. If only she does what he says, they might just get out of this mess alive. That is, if they can keep their hands off each other long enough to think straight.
Passionate Pleasures by Bertrice Small
Summary: Some think librarians are stuffy, narrow-minded prudes-but that's not true of Kathryn St. John. She runs Egret Point's library and is very involved in her community, even down to keeping them up with the latest trends. One major trend she turned the local ladies on to is the interactive network The Channel. It's there that Kathryn extends her occupational passions into the bedroom by playing out her favorite pieces of medieval English literature. Kathryn is quite satisfied with the princes, musketeers, and highwaymen her personas seduce in The Channel. But her seductions spill out into the real world and reach Timothy Blair, new to Egret Point. He wants to satiate both of their desires, but how can he possibly compete with fantasy lovers? That is unless he can create a wicked plot twist that even Kathryn couldn't think up in her wildest dreams.
Lakeshore Christmas by Susan Wiggs
Summary: Summary: The prim librarian is finally getting her chance to direct Avalon’s annual holiday pageant, and she’s determined to make it truly spectacular. But it might just require one of those Christmas miracles she’s always read about. Because her codirector is recovering former child star Eddie Haven, a long-haired, tattooed lump of coal in Maureen’s pageant stocking. Maureen and Eddie spar over every detail of the pageant, from casting troubled kids to Eddie’s original - and distinctly untraditional - music. Is he trying to sabotage the performance to spite her? Or is she trying too hard to fit the show into her storybook-perfect notion of Christmas?
For more romance novels featuring librarians, click on this link. Enjoy!
Morning Comes Softly by Debbie Macomber
May's Review:
"She was wearing a pale lavender dress, and the soft color enhanced her features, which were--he hated to say it--ordinary. She seemed a tad pale, until he realized she wasn't wearing makeup. Not even a little blush or lip gloss. Her glasses were the huge horn-rimmed variety that took up nearly all of her face. Her classic navy blue coat was unbuttoned, and she wore sensible black shoes."
Well, geez, could the woman be, oh, I don't know, a LIBRARIAN, perhaps? Why May, you know the stereotypical description of a librarian!
Shy and petite children librarian Mary Warner from Louisiana is lonely and decides to answer a personal ad. Basically too cheap to pay for a housekeeper, Montana rancher Travis Thompson needs to find a wife to help him clean and raise his three orphaned nephews and niece. Quicker than you can look up the state capitals of Louisiana and Montana which by the way are Baton Rouge and Helena, Mary accepts Travis' offer and moves to Montana without meeting him or the children. Acknowledging their relationship is a "marriage of convenience", Mary and Travis spend most of their time either arguing with one another or consoling/disciplining the kids. Yet somehow, these two manage to find time to fall in love with one another. It certainly helps when Travis begins to realize how beautiful Mary is both on the inside and on the outside and to let go of his anger at the driver that accidentally killed the kids' parents.
Not a bad romance novel. Everything is neatly wrapped up or swept under the rug, especially since there is no in-depth exploration about Mary's and Travis' evolving relationship. Besides the growing physical attraction, these two characters really don't seem to have any common interests besides wanting to do what's best for the kids. Luckily, the story wraps up before wondering if these two crazy kids are going to make it. Anyway, Macomber fans will probably enjoy one of her older titles. As for me, this was a decent entry in the category "featuring a librarian".
May's Reviews: Okay, well now that I have grabbed your full attention, I have been steadily tracking down and reading as many romance novels that features a librarian. Hey, I would read hockey romances but I figure Linda doesn't need the added competition!
Anyway, here are two books that I have read most recently:
I Still Do by Christie Ridgeway
Shy librarian Emily Garner needs to live a little and takes a massive plunge when she attends a librarian conference in Las Vegas, meets up with childhood crush Will Dailey, gets drunk and then finds herself married to the aforementioned guy! Unlike Brittany Spears who managed to get an annulment within 48 hours, our couple here decide to play a wait and see game especially since Emily ends up living in the same town as Will and she is "torn" about whether or not she wants the annulment. After all, it's not everyday a librarian can say she is married to a sexy fireman!
A quick fluffy read with the usual romantic elements that can be expected in this type of novel--meddlesome siblings, the ever-present flu that prompts one of them to take care of the the other for a weekend and forces them to realize that he/she likes the responsibility, and the usual misunderstanding about one's intentions (e.g. is he or is he not a player?). Recommend you read this while sitting outside and drinking a nice tall glass of cold ice tea.
Mad, Bad, and Blonde by Cathie Linz
Hmm...Librarian Faith West is jilted by her fiance at the altar. Humiliated but deciding she needs to live a little as well, she takes off on her Italian honeymoon alone. While there, she meets up with mysterious and sexy private investigator, Caine Hunter, who has a secret agenda of his own--to bring down Faith's father who he blames for driving his father to suicide. Betrayed and angry, Faith gets a total makeover, quits her job as a children' s librarian, and goes to work for her father's detective company to prove her father's innocence. Unfortunately, circumstances keep throwing Faith and Cain together. Will they or won't they?
Unlike Emily who is described as shy, Faith is anything but. She is feisty, smart, highly resourceful and inquisitive. This is a woman who has been trained by her father to think on her feet and take immediate action when needed, especially when she realizes that Caine is following her and she needs to plot her escape. A total blast, especially for us librarians who don't mind poking fun at ourselves especially when Faith talks about book cart drill marches (note: to see what I'm talking about, check out the 2010 ALA Book Cart Drill Team Winner)! This is a cute novel that can be read be read outside as well but I think it's good enough to be read on that rainy afternoon when all of the laundry is done, the dishes have mysterious washed themselves and you are tired of watching the The Real Housewives of Orange County marathon on TV.
Mad, Bad and Blonde by Cathie Linz received a starred review in the March 1st issue of Booklist. The review says "For lighthearted contemporary romance, it's hard to beat Linz. Filled with believable characters and witty dialogue, her books never fail to entertain."
Book Description: After being jilted at the altar, librarian Faith West goes on her Italian honeymoon solo, but doesn't stay that way too long. And though her sexy rebound man has ulterior motives, feelings surface that neither of them are prepared for.
Ever been interested in the private life of a President's wife? In American Wife, Alice, a librarian and registered Democrat, falls in love with Charlie, a member of a powerful family. Charlie is Alice's opposite in every way, but early in their marriage she makes a promise to never publicly disagree with his Republican views. Little did she know how hard that would be, when his passing interest in politics turns into a run for the White House.
